


Decompress

by james



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Episode Tag, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Episode: s01e06 Countrycide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2019-05-19 03:47:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14866025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/james/pseuds/james
Summary: After Torchwood's investigation into the missing persons in Brecon Beacons, Ianto needs to decompress.





	Decompress

**Author's Note:**

  * For [chamilet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/chamilet/gifts).



Ianto could have showered at the Hub; he'd done it often enough before. He kept several articles of clean clothing there for just exactly that purpose, though to be fair sometimes the culprit for ruining his suits, was Jack. Half of his discretionary budget seemed to go for new clothes and cleaning bills, thanks to Torchwood. (At least getting reimbursements was easy and straightforward: forge Jack's signature and everyone was happy.)

He didn't want to wait around long enough to scrub clean and change. Debrief had been harder than normal for obvious reasons, though Jack had tried not to keep him or Tosh any longer than necessary. When it was finally over, Ianto had felt no need to stick around and make sure everything was neat and tidy and every form was dotted properly. Paperwork could do itself or wait until another day.

He'd practically run out to his car once Jack had said they could go. Ianto saw Gwen tagging after Tosh, then it didn't surprise him at all to find Jack beating him by a second to his own car, nudging Ianto away from the driver's door and picking his keys deftly out of his pocket.

Normally that sort of thing lead to all sorts of other things in the carpark itself, and he gave Jack what little smile he could manage, at the thought. It was returned with a rather more gentle leer than Jack's usual, then he just said, “Get in,” and there was no hint of innuendo, despite Jack's normal ability to make anything and everything sound like an invitation.

Ianto climbed into his car and leant his head back on the rest, closing his eyes. He tried very hard not to think of anything on the drive to his flat, with limited success. He did wonder if Jack was saving up the teasing for indoors; it was no doubt his plan to distract Ianto from the last few days with some good, hard shagging and let the orgasms help him sleep, or at least stop thinking.

He didn't ask. Ianto wasn't sure he was up for anything, really, but if he tried to dissuade Jack of that he'd be even more concerned.

This is the sort of thing you have to shake off, Ianto told himself firmly. If you want to be a real agent of Torchwood, this is the sort of thing that happens.

Jack pulled into Ianto's parking spot, and Ianto caught him glancing over before climbing out of the car. Ianto shuddered at the chill air, wished briefly he'd grabbed more than the light jacket he'd had hanging at his desk. But he was home and he just wanted to go in and have a hot shower, then let Jack do whatever he wanted. Probably he _would_ feel better after a good shag. 

Jack still had his key ring, so Ianto followed him up the stairs and to the door, waited while Jack undid the two locks. Then finally he staggered into his flat, dropping his carryall by the door to unpack and burn at a much later date. He headed past Jack into the kitchen, through which was the rest of his flat. He brushed past Jack in the narrow hallway, but not bothering to reach out and brush fingertips anywhere interesting, as he might have otherwise done. Had done, many times at work. He wondered if Jack was thinking of it.

“I can make tea,” Jack offered, hovering in the entryway as though uncertain of just how fragile Ianto was feeling. “If you want?” His tone was soft and calming, like Ianto was one of Torchwood's victims of the unholy freakish things they dealt with every week.

Oh. Well, right. They might not have been aliens, but the villagers _had_ been monsters. Killing and eating innocent travelers--

Ianto stopped his thoughts right there. “I'll pass,” he said, struggling to sound normal, at least. He'd had a cuppa earlier, if only to prove to himself he could keep it down. He and Tosh would be swearing off meat for awhile, he was certain, but tea he'd already managed. He could live on tea and toast for a bit, he was sure. Not unlike university. He shook his head. “I just want a shower.”

“All right.” A glance back showed Jack was watching him closely, giving Ianto the vague feeling he was _meant_ to break down into hysterics. He didn't have the energy for that sort of thing, in case Jack was waiting for it. Instead, he headed out of the kitchen and down the hallway, pulling off his shirt and dropping it near the doorway of his small bedroom, sat opposite the hall from the equally tiny bathroom. He didn't bother with giving any instruction to Jack; the other man knew Ianto's flat well enough, he could do as he liked while Ianto tried to wash the feeling of – everything – from his skin.

He heard movement behind him, recognised the sound of Jack's greatcoat falling onto the floor. And wasn't that a pleasant thought, at least, that he'd heard that particular sound so many times he could recognise it. Ianto found himself smiling a bit as he heard the soft thud of Jack's boots, and as Ianto stepped into the bathroom and pulled off his trousers, a very nearly identical sound came from behind him.

“Are you joining me, then?” he asked, half-turning and not at all surprised to see Jack down to his underwear – pulling those off even as Ianto watched. Jack tossed them towards the pile Ianto had started of his own clothes, just inside the door of his bedroom. He ought to put a clothes basket there, but it seemed it was one thing he never got around to. His mam would be appalled, he had no doubt.

She might be appalled at a great many things about Ianto's life, he knew, and decided it wasn't what he wanted to think about when he was walking naked into the bathroom with Jack.

Jack was smiling at him somewhat, though it was rather more sad than the delighted one Ianto usually saw at this stage of their undressing together. “I thought you might use a hand or two,” Jack said, standing just inside the bathroom doorway, again hesitant despite his words and nakedness.

As if he would say no, Ianto thought, no matter how exhausted he was. “I can't promise anything except standing under the spray,” he warned. “Anything else you want is all on you.”

Jack gave a short laugh, good humor returning for a moment before fading again into the same soft, worried look in his eyes. “Would you believe my intentions are to help you take a shower?” He came forward, then, reaching past Ianto and into the tub, bending down slightly to reach the faucets.

They'd done this before, once or twice, usually with Ianto berating them both for risking broken necks, legs, or worse. Jack always just grinned at him and distracted him quite nicely in lieu of answer, and now the memory of it made Ianto smile, briefly. This was familiar, safe. Distracting.

He removed the rest of his clothes while Jack left his hand under the water, checking the temperature. The old building's plumbing had always been somewhat questionable, until after Jack's first visit over and subsequent innocent denial of doing anything to Ianto's pipes. But ever since, the water had run clear and hot and Ianto decided that future technology was absolutely welcome if it meant cold winter showers were no longer a thing to be stoically endured.

Jack looked at him now, standing up and shaking the water from his fingers. As though he weren't planning on getting right in, Ianto thought fondly, relieved to notice that, in fact, he was actually feeling a little better. Jack's distraction was already working, and all they'd done was this. Ianto stepped into the tub, moving forward into the spray and closing his eyes to let the water flow over him. He felt Jack step in after, one hand briefly on Ianto's hip, then Jack was pressing lightly against his back. His body knew this, and Ianto wasn't surprised to feel the very faint stirrings of arousal. He didn't necessarily want more, but the familiarity of Jack's naked body pressed up against his helped him feel more like he was out, it was over. 

He kept his eyes closed shut, focusing on the water. Reassured the hot water would not run out, Ianto felt no compunction against just standing there, letting it wash over him, happy to stay right where he was for the rest of the night and test the limits of Jack's tinkering with the plumbing.

Jack's hand touched his shoulder, running down his arm then up again, and his other hand came gently across his stomach as if Jack were still worried he'd panic. Jack leant in closer and Ianto had to shift his foot to keep his balance; then he could hear Jack picking up the bar of soap. More movement behind him which he ignored, still not ready to remove his face from the spray of water. Then there was the touch of wet flannel on his skin and Jack was rubbing it along his back, down the same arm he'd already carressed. Jack rubbed the cloth slowly through Ianto's fingers, spreading them and running the cloth around his wrist in a light touch, then back up the front of his arm and across his collarbone.

More soap, then down the other arm, spreading his fingers with a firm grip, massaging the hand that Ianto hadn't even realised was aching. He'd been gripping the door handle, he recalled now, clinging to the SUV as it drove them away--

Jack kissed the back of his neck, lightly, feather-brief as he continued to massage Ianto's hand, rubbing his way up Ianto's forearm, washing and massaging all in one motion. Another kiss on Ianto's shoulder, then the flannel lifted away and Ianto was turned around to face Jack. He opened his eyes briefly, then tilted his head back to let the heat of the water soak into his skull. Jack rubbed more soap onto the flannel and started washing his chest. 

Ianto just let him. He didn't open his eyes again, moving only when Jack nudged him. The hot water and Jack's hand holding him steady kept Ianto just awake enough as slowly, inch by inch, Jack washed him clean. 

When he heard Jack drop the flannel in the corner of the tub, Ianto opened his eyes. Jack smiled at him, a question on his face but he didn't speak. Ianto wasn't sure what to say – he had no idea what he wanted, if exhaustion and terror were still too lingering, or if the sight of Jack, naked, and the touch of his hands was enough to make him want more.

He stepped forward, letting Jack open his arms to hold him, and let himself press as close as he could. Ianto tucked his face into Jack's neck, breathing in his scent. He could offer to return the favor, wash him well and them let Jack fuck him or suck him off in the shower. As he stood there, Jack's embrace tightened, and Ianto shivered.

Bed, then, and whether he enticed Jack to join him he wasn't sure if he cared. He felt Jack kiss his cheek, and Jack patted him lightly. “Come on, then, let's get out, dry you off.”

Ianto nodded and climbed out, dutifully grabbing a towel and wrapping it around his shoulders. Jack shut off the water and climbed out after, then grabbed the other towel, wrapping it around Ianto's waist and began to dry him off.

Still he just stood there, letting Jack do as he would, and finally Ianto found himself, clean and dry, watching Jack dry himself off quickly before hanging both damp towels on the bar and leading him by the hand to the bedroom. Jack pulled back the covers Ianto had left all nice and properly tucked in when he'd left, knowing as he'd done so that he'd be gone for several days. He shivered again, forced himself not to think of it, packing up and heading out to the country so determined to prove himself a good field agent.

Jack pulled him towards the bed and Ianto needed no prompting to climb in. The sheets were cold, but the pillow was soft and he was home. It was over.

The bed dipped as Jack climbed in behind him, the heat of his body dispelling the chill. Ianto closed his eyes as Jack wrapped an arm around him and tucked one knee behind Ianto's.

It was on the tip of Ianto's awareness that they had never done this before. They'd fallen asleep together after, once or twice, in the narrow cot Jack called a bed below his office in the Hub. But more often they were together for the fun bits, a quick shag or making out, and Jack would always leave with a smile and a fond kiss at the door. Stolen moments in places where there was no mistaking what they were – and were not – doing. He'd told Owen that he and Jack weren't _this._

“Go to sleep,” Jack whispered in his ear, and Ianto did.


End file.
